Robert Upshaw confident the D-Fenders will lead him quickly to the NBA

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-robert-upshaw-confident-d-fenders-lead-nba-20151110-story.html

ile the Lakers are in Miami on Tuesday to play the Heat, undrafted center Robert Upshaw posed for a photo in his D-Fenders uniform at the team's annual media day.

Upshaw, a 7-foot center with a massive wingspan, joined the Lakers for both summer league and training camp, but was waived before the regular season. Instead, he's an affiliate player with the Lakers' NBA Development League squad.

"I knew I was going to be cut. I knew that before anybody," Upshaw told the Los Angeles Times.

"I've been through a lot. I've been through really a lot in the past year and a half," he said. "You don't get opportunities like that after you've done what I've done. I've just tried to put that behind me, use this opportunity, because I know at some point this year I'll be playing in the NBA."

Upshaw, who was released from two college programs (Fresno State and Washington) for team violations, is open about his battles with drugs and alcohol. He once missed a college game because he was out late the night before, under the impression the team only had a practice scheduled the following day.

Despite averaging 10.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and an outstanding 4.5 blocks a game before his dismissal from Washington, none of the NBA franchises in the draft were willing to take a gamble on Upshaw.

The Lakers wanted a look in summer league, but Upshaw arrived out of shape -- partially because he was red-flagged with a potential heart issue leading up to the draft that he ultimately cleared.

A camp invite, with just $35,000 of his two-year $1.4-million contract guaranteed, was waiting for him with the Lakers -- provided he put in the work and go through counseling for his off-court issues.

The 21-year-old center successfully put in the work, losing 25 pounds by the time the Lakers met in late September, a sign that in the right environment, Upshaw could be productive.

"I just surround myself with the right people," said Upshaw of his lifestyle changes and battle to stay sober. "I've always been a yes-man, I still kind of am to this day, but I have people around me to help me with that. It's tough man, I still struggle with it. I'm not perfect.

"My thing is, I got the help that I need and have people around me. I'm doing really well right now. I'm making all my meetings and everything. I'm just laying low and that's pretty much what I had to do."

The Lakers didn't see enough from Upshaw to warrant cutting the $1-million guaranteed contract of Robert Sacre for Upshaw. While Sacre gives the Lakers everything he has, mostly on the practice floor, Upshaw didn't match Sacre's effort.

But of his former Lakers teammates, Upshaw said he learned the most from Sacre.

"I think Robert Sacre is one of the most high-energy people. He didn't have an off day," said Upshaw. "... That's something that being a good teammate is all about."

Upshaw also praised Tarik Black, as well as Kobe Bryant, who Upshaw said "has a killer mentality in everything he does from icing his knee to shooting a [jumper]. Just to be around him for that amount of time really instilled a few things in me."

After clearing waivers when the other 29 teams chose to pass, Upshaw is still free to sign with any NBA franchise, even as an affiliate player with the Lakers.

In the meantime, he'll have the opportunity to show what he has learned in the quick-paced, perimeter-oriented D-League.

"This game is crazy. It's a fast tempo. You're scoring 120-points-plus a game. I think we're going to win a lot of games with the team that we have and the defense that we have," said Upshaw.

"It's kind of the same thing we did with the Lakers. It's just a quicker pace to the game, more shots, more guys getting their hands on the ball," he said. "It's a completely different game than what I played before."

Upshaw will be asked to run the floor, rebound and block shots -- perhaps even score. Most players of his size are either in the NBA or playing overseas, but neither is an option just yet for Upshaw.

"Overseas is a better opportunity than this one is, financially, but I'm not here for those reasons. I'm here to become a great basketball player and if I have to go through this, I'm going to do it," he said. "I'm definitely going to be playing basketball in the NBA. I don't see myself playing ball overseas for a while. It's just always been a goal and I've never given up, I've never quit."

More than anything, Upshaw needs to show that he's willing to work hard, and stay clean.

"I never really had to work hard. I get to college, I dominated," he said. "When I got to college, I was content. Everybody around me was allowing me to do it. They waited till the end to try to fix things."

To succeed, Upshaw said he needs to recognize that he's responsible for his own choices, not others.

"I just got to work hard every day, that's the mentality I come with," he said. "I've got to be the first guy in here and the last guy out, most of the time."

More than most of the time -- all of the time, given his past and uncertain future.

"I know what hard work is. I've worked hard to be where I am at today," he said. "I know what hard work is, it's just consistency."

Once projected to be a lottery pick, Upshaw will have the chance to show he's more than a 7-foot contradiction this season in the NBA Development League with the D-Fenders.

I'm sure several teams will be watching his progress.  My guess is they'll be looking as much at personal conduct as they do game stats.  For Upshaw's sake, I hope he can keep his act clean.  He could have a nice career ahead of him if he does, but even at this early age and time, this is probably his one remaining chance.

Upshaw may or not make it. Who knows? Addictions are tough to shake as everyone understands.

I still would have taken him in the draft with the Cs last second round pick (46?) just because he is a 7 foot center. Anyone taken in the last half of the second round is truly a gamble no matter what position he plays, but he definitely interested me a lot more than the young guy (name skips my mind) who is now playing in Australia who the Cs did pick. If nothing else, a 7 foot, athletic center is a better gamble to take than a 6'2" guard, in my opinion.

If he gets off to a decent start in the D league I would quickly find another place for James Young and sign this guy to be our 15th player even if he has to hang out in Portland all season long. 7 foot athletes just don't "happen by" every day.

Maybe it will all work out for the kid but he said it himself, when he received his camp invite from the Lakers, "this is my last chance". I don't know if it's true, but what it says to me is that he knew, HE KNEW, that he had to pull himself together to make it. And he didn't. Unlike 7'er Colton Iverson, there was no numbers crunch with the Lakers. They could easily have kept him on the roster if he could justify that decision.

Obviously I wish him well, I love these kind of human interest stories (Leon Powe, John Lucas, Chris Herren), but each roster spot is gold, both for the team and for every other player who was fighting to take Upshaw's place.


bob


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I hope the kid makes it - somehow he seems sincere to me. However, I wonder if he is just not that good - professional sports teams will put up with an awful lot if the talent is there. Makes me wonder.

Clyde

I would have also taken a flyer on him with one of the 2nd round picks. I would have given him an opportunity to prove that he has cleaned up his act. If he did not then he would be cut and I doubt any fan would be critical of the Celtics for giving him a chance.

IMO that would have been a low risk high reward situation. The Celtics are still in need of a center with his particular set of skills.

dboss

The Celtics could still grab him for zero risk, which is better than low risk. Not sure why you'd still want to have drafted him, considering he was on waivers and none of the 29 teams picked him up. He was passed over by all 30 teams twice already, once on draft day and once when the Lakers' cut him and nobody claimed him on waivers.

Here's one recent games of Thornton highlights. He looks good offensively but some other guy hit a bunch of 3s in his face

rambone wrote:The Celtics could still grab him for zero risk, which is better than low risk. Not sure why you'd still want to have drafted him, considering he was on waivers and none of the 29 teams picked him up. He was passed over by all 30 teams twice already, once on draft day and once when the Lakers' cut him and nobody claimed him on waivers.

What do you mean you are not sure?

Hindsight is 20/20 vision. What I am saying is that I would have used a 2nd round pick during the draft to get him. Did you know that he would not have been drafted? What happened after the draft is another story.

dboss

I still can't tell if you're saying back then you would have, or if you're saying that you now would choose to go back and draft him.

Shamrock1000 wrote:I hope the kid makes it - somehow he seems sincere to me. However, I wonder if he is just not that good - professional sports teams will put up with an awful lot if the talent is there. Makes me wonder.

spot on!

it does surprise me that many of the same people that want to stay far away form Cousins (who has PROVEN NBA all-star ability) would take a flyer on Upshaw (who has proven that he can play half a college season).

I do understand $15M against $500K is a big difference for sure. but they are both not suited to play the typical pace and space game that Brad uses today. I do feel if Brad gets a big man with high level low post skills, he will adjust his style accordingly, whoever that may be.

Upshaw has yet to show he can do much of anything at the NBA level to date. Perhaps he will get clean and   turn into the next Whitehead ( I mean Whiteside), or perhaps not.

Cousins would cost a lot more than 15 million. He'd cost most of our draft pick stash and our most promising young players. If it was just 15 million or whatever he'd already be on the team rather than Amir Johnson.